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Getting at the Truth
Concerning Ancient Trials

APPROACH TO PROBLEM 3:
Examine trial in light of understood
practices

Trial of Socrates:
---History of tolerance of Socrates up to age 70
---Humorous references to religion in plays (e.g., rain is Zeus
urinating through a sieve, Zeus as promiscuous, Zeus as henpecked, etc.)
---Socrates was bi-sexual and slept with some of his male students

Trial of Jesus:
---High tension surrounded Passovers (e.g, the fart in 50 AD that
killed thousands; the Caligula statue incident in 41 AD)
---Anger over "dual purpose" use of Temple
---Crucifixion was a Roman punishment, stoning was the form of capital
punishment practiced by Jews
---Pilate could have removed Jesus to Caesaria for trial
---Pilate removed as prefect in 36 AD for brutality and had little
concern for Jewish sensibilities (e.g., effigies of Caesar in Jerusalem)
---No record of ever offering people choice to release one of two
prisoners during Passover or at any other time